Whether you are a company that
is still planning to deploy servers or currently have servers, Linux has
compelling benefits. We will show that aside from costing less, it is also
faster and more reliable.
Cost Savings
Save from 50% to 80% by using or
switching to Linux. In terms of pesos, a typical Windows setup will cost you at
least P150,000.00 for the server alone. For every computer connecting to the
server, that is an additional P3,000.00 per Client Access License (CAL). You
also need a license for its operating system and will cost you at least
P7,000.00 per computer. Let’s say you have ten computers and a server, that is a
total of P250,000.00.
And that is not the end of it.
Let’s say you want an email server, you have to spend additionally at least
P70,000.00. Database server? Add P300,000. And so on and so forth.
By using Linux, you only pay
significantly less. Why? Because Linux is free and comes with all the necessary
software you need. You only pay for our expertise. A similar setup described
above would only cost around P100,000.00.
Performance
Although opinions in the
industry vary, there is a general consensus that there is little difference in
performance between Linux and Windows. In fact, in most internet-based servers
(web, email, etc.), Linux outperforms Windows on most benchmarks.
Stability and Reliability
Linux can run for years without
needing to be restarted. In fact, most Internet servers run Linux, and they
rarely ever need to restart. Of course, with any major update, it's inevitable
that a system should reboot to ensure it is operating properly. The point is, if
you use Linux, you could theoretically leave your system running for obscene
periods of time and never worry about those spontaneous reboots. The kind you
get with Windows.
Security
Myth: Windows only gets attacked
most because it's such a big target, and if Linux use (or indeed OS X use) grew
then so would the number of attacks.
Fact: When it comes to web
servers, the biggest target is Apache, the Internet's server of choice. Attacks
on Apache are nevertheless far fewer in number, and cause less damage. And in
some case Apache-related attacks have the most serious effect on Windows
machines. Attacks are of course aimed at Windows because of the numbers of
users, but its design makes it a much easier target, and much easier for an
attack to wreak havoc. Windows' widespread (and often unnecessary) use of
features such as RPC meanwhile adds vulnerabilities that really need not be
there. Linux's design is not vulnerable in the same ways, and no matter how
successful it eventually becomes it simply cannot experience attacks to similar
levels, inflicting similar levels of damage, to Windows.
Myth: Open Source Software is
inherently dangerous because its source code is widely available, whereas
Windows 'blueprints' are carefully guarded by Microsoft.
Fact: This 'inherent danger'
clearly has not manifested itself in terms of actual attacks. Windows-specific
viruses, Trojans, worms and malicious programs exist in huge numbers, so if one
gives any credence at all to this claim, one would do better to phrase it 'Open
Source Software ought to be more dangerous'. But the claim itself hinges on the
view - rejected by reputable security professionals - that obscurity aids
security. Obscurity/secrecy can also make it more difficult for the vendors
themselves to identify vulnerabilities in their own products, and can lead to
security issues being neglected because they are not widely-known. The Open
Source model, on the other hand, facilitates widespread review and makes it
easier to identify and correct flaws. Modular design principles support this,
while the overall approach is far more in line with security industry thinking
than is 'security through obscurity.'
One of the most important
aspects of Linux is the huge community of developers working on it. This
incredible development force is made possible by the concept of open source, or
free software, which allows thousands of highly skilled developers throughout
the world to create and build software quickly and efficiently.
As a result, Linux has quickly
become one of the most promising operating systems available. Not only has Linux
proven its superiority in the server field as a robust and efficient system, it
has also greatly matured as a full-featured desktop alternative. So why are more
and more users - individuals and corporations - using these strange free
software products instead of traditional equivalents from the proprietary world?
First of all, Linux is valued as
a high-performance operating system due to its modular nature - entire portions
of the operating system can be easily added or removed to greatly affect
performance. Additionally, Linux now supports most PC hardware devices,
including even the "latest and greatest" products. Linux's extensive range of
features has increased dramatically over the past few years. Linux is certainly
not a computer hobbyist's plaything anymore; it's becoming more and more
difficult to find areas that it cannot handle. Finally, the commercial offerings
based around Linux have dramatically improved, including certification,
training, support, and deployment of complex solutions.
Another key advantage of Linux
is that it includes only open technologies based on public standards (when
available). This means that Linux is always a smart choice because the included
technology is very likely to already be a standard in the IT world - technology
that is compatible and interoperable with other operating systems. With Linux,
you will never become a prisoner of technology as often happens in the Windows
and Macintosh worlds.
For example, with Linux it's
very easy to communicate over a network with just about any other computer
platform, with various protocols, such as for exchanging data files. Even in the
office productivity field Linux is rapidly gaining superiority with its
OpenOffice and KOffice office suites, which understand a number of different
office file formats, including MS Office documents.
On the other hand, the way that
Linux and its applications are developed and produced ensures that it's very
perennial because in the free software world, even if a software project is
abandoned by its original authors, there is always someone, or even a new team
of developers, willing to maintain and release new versions of the software
Another distinctive advantage of
Linux and free software applications, maybe the most important, is that software
is designed and created for users by users. In the traditional software
industry, new features are introduced by a software company solely because the
company thinks it will be a good idea, perhaps as the result of a marketing
survey. In the Linux world, the approach is totally different: users request new
features and free software developers implement them. The resulting products and
features answer real needs, which is really the purpose of designing and
building software in the first place.
In other words, in the Linux
world, software makers don't decide what the users need. Users decide.
Pilipinas Anti Piracy Team
Here is an excerpt from the
PAPT Website
1. What is the objective of
Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team? Is this a new task force by the government?
The Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team is a government-led campaign which
aims to significantly reduce software piracy in the country and promote respect
for IPR. This is not a new task force but a joint undertaking by the NBI, OMB,
PNP in cooperation with the IP Coalition and the Business Software Alliance
(BSA). We want to show that government agencies are working together as a team
to eliminate piracy so that the Philippines will be seen as a country with
strong IPR protection.
2. What are the roles of the
respective government agencies?
The NBI, OMB and PNP are all involved in the enforcement
operations.
3. Which industry are you
targeting for this campaign?
We are not targeting any specific industry or industries. This is a
call to businesses in all industries to legalize any unlicensed software they
have.
4. What is the software piracy
rate in the Philippines?
According to the latest IDC Global Software Piracy Study, the
software piracy rate in the Philippines remained at 71% during the last two
years (2004 and 2005). Software piracy losses increased from US$69 million to
US$76 million.
5. How will the public protect
themselves from fake NBI/OMB/PNP agents?
The public should guard themseles against these unscrupulous
individuals. Demand for identification and authorization, mission order,
inspection order or search warrant. Also, demand for receipt and inventory for
items taken into custody. Never give out money. When they demand for money in
exchange for the items seized, report them to us.
6. What documents should the
business owners present when an enforcement agency raids them?
First of all, demand for identification of the raiding team before
giving any documents. Require them to present a search warrant, authorization or
mission order. Now for the business owners, they should be able to present the
end-user licensing agreements, certificates of authenticity, invoices and
receipts.
Compute and Compare Costs
Number of Servers
Additional Server Applications
Number of Clients (Desktops, Laptops, etc.)
Additional Client Applications
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